Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM / VABB) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Mumbai, India
Mumbai
BOM/VABB
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 19:11 local
- Active runway
- 32
- METAR wind
- 340° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 32 - sunny side
- Sun
- 262° / -15°
Wind vector · +5 kt headwind
IFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Mumbai (BOM) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
IFR340° @ 6 kt
32°C · 1.9 sm · 1009 hPa
NSC
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at BOM, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 32 - sunny side Runway 32 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 32 · Dep 32
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | 89° | 11,511 ft | -2.0 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 269° | 11,511 ft | +2.0 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 134° | 9,419 ft | -5.4 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 32 | 314° | 9,419 ft | +5.4 kt | 2.6 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Mumbai (VABB)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 127.900 | Published |
| Departure | 126.775 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.850 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.400 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Mumbai (BOM/VABB)
Which runway is active at Mumbai (BOM/VABB) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 32. The METAR wind is 340° at 6 kt. 32 shows +5.4 kt headwind and 2.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Mumbai (BOM) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 18° elevation. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 95/100, 1234 m from runway 32, view bearing 285.0°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 28°. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 81/100 on a 343.5° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM/VABB) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 32 - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 of 1 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at VABB spotting locations?
VABB spotting locations sun direction: Short final 32 - sunny side (runway 32) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Mumbai (BOM)?
Short final 32 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 32 centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Mumbai (VABB)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 127.9 MHz, ATIS 126.4 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Mumbai (BOM) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 340° at 6 kt, so 32 remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/VABB#runway-alerts